People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1893 — ACROSS THE DEEP. [ARTICLE]

ACROSS THE DEEP.

Farewell to Scot.'and’s Beautiful Shores. Halle, a. s., Nov. 22, ’93. Before we pass finally from Scotland, that wonderland of beauty and historic interest, I desire to cull a few things which impress one, concerning the people and their customs. The one trait of their characier which impresses one most is summed up in the one word—solidity. Not only in a material, but also in an intellectual and cultured sense. The Scotch have built for generations to come, and not lor the present as wo do in America. I scarcely saw a wooden structure in all Scotland which I visited. Four fifths ol Edinburgh and Glasgow, are brown stone and the rest brick. Wood is scarce and stone and brick cheap, as well as labor. The most powerful force is the trait of the Scotchman to build to stay. An old gentleman with whom I became acquainted at Dumbarton, reminded me that when they purchased or built a thing they expected it to remain in the family for generations, and then slightly prodded me by adding that we expected it to be used up with the present generation to escape the quarrel and trouble of a division. I had not much to reply and diverted the subject to the McKinley bill. This brought vengeance in his eye. McKinley, to the European, is an incarnation of all that is politically bad. I find this always to be an overweening desire to extend the principles of mutual interests where the pocket-book is concerned. But they have the fairness to acknowledge that if they were Americans they would be for protection.

Solidity is written upon everything that I saw in Scotland. They do nothing in a superficial manner. This was seen, especially, in her public roads and streets. We in America do not know what it is to possess a free and rapid system of communication by roads, throughout the year, as do the people of Europe. True, we are not as old, but modern roads are not more than a quarter of a century old. The roads of Scotland are not many as in America, but are so divided that the much used roads are longer and better constructed, and others proportionally attended to. Straight lines are unknown even in levee districts. All roads are macademized. They proceed upon the plan that a “stitch in time saves nine.” At regular intervals, we see broken stones at the roadside, in readiness to repair any weak place in the bed. It is needless to add that “working the roads,” as we understand it, has long been abandoned as a monstrous and ineffective waste. The effect of these roads upon Scottish life is, and has been, great. In spite of the good and cheap railway communication, one is impressed with the degree with which the roads are used. Almost incredably large loads are moved with apparent ease. The horses are large—principally Clyde—and in fine condition. When we see the smooth and solid pavement of the Scottish road, one cannot conceive of the motive which would lead to the construction of a road or street by simply piling the street full of stone as was done in the principle street of Rensselaer. It will be almost impossible to clean it while the vacant places will soon be filled with black mud ana manure, a a certain regret to all concerned, after it is too late to remedy. One more step and it would have given a street as smooth as any pavement, and that step not costly or difficult. In the first place no road or street should be macademized without the use of a heavy roller, either steam or horse. This gives compactness to the road that cannot be gotten in any other way. If Jasper county ever constructs of this nature, the first wise thing to do will be to provide the county with a good, heavy roller. The next wise thing will be to roll the stone (no good road will be attempted without a firm stone bed) and on this place a coat of coarse gravel, moisten well with water, and roll thoroughly again, then cover with a thin coat of fine gravel, sprinkle and roll thoroughly, and permit no travel until well dried, and you will have a road that you will be proud of, and which wilLcost your children’s childredflittle trouble, and will afford them much pleasure. Americans are apt to look at present cost. A good country road cannot be put in dollars and cents,. although the bill may be ; “footed” in that way. There is no chance of

evasion, good roads must and will come in America in the next few years, and because they, at present, cost much there is a tendency to construct cheaply and consequently in the end dearly. Another mistake we make is that we are obliged by law and public opinion to turn the construction over to the lowest bidder, without any inquiry as to his fitness or experience. He may know nothing about the experiences of other places in the construction of roads, or what experienced scientific men may have done in determining the points of road construction, but he is the “lowest responsible bidder.” But in the meantime we will wade mud, throw down fences, cut wires, kill horses, stay at home, or walk six or seven miles, sell our hay, wood, corn, etc., in the fall when the roads are good and prices low, instead of being able to take advantage of the best prices at any time of the year. Why is it that wood, corn and hay are so high in the spring of the year? Certainly either because the roads are so bad that they cannot be moved to the market or they lave been sold at a period when the roads were good for fear of the bad roads. Good roads will iufe a great many social, economical and consequently political ills that are gnawing at our body politic. A poor street in a town of Scotland is unthinkable. They are mostly made of cement, blocks of stone, or some durable material. Let us leave the road question for this time and learn to know lhat romantic creature which fills so much of the sentiment of the poems of Burns and the romances of Scott, “The Highland Lassie.” Those who are familiar with Burns’ poem “Highland Mary, or has hummed his “Coming Through the Rye,” will, no doubt, be as interested as I was to the creature that called forth those poetic effusions. Scotch scenery would be void without the “Highland Lassie.” The Scotch are healthy, robust people. This seemed especially true of the women. The Scotch girl, or “lassie,” is not especially beautiful, but the elements of health are fully delineated on her countenance. She is not apparently so quick and gay as the American girl, but she evidently enjoys life in her even tempered way. The health of the Scotch is not altogether due to the clear, pure air that they constantly breathe, but they are a temperate people as well. Of course, Scotch whiskey is widely famed, but I think more famed than used. They scarcely use tobaccp at all. A cigar store is a rare thing in comparison to America, and correspondingly dear, a good cigar could not be had for less than a six-pence, or 12£ cents, much to the discomfiture of one of our party. A pipe was rare. It was considered a comic wonder that Americans should chew as they had heard so often. Scotch dialect is very difficult to understand, and in some parts of the country is spoken almost to the exclusion of the English. Where English is spoken it is so corrupted with diaiect that it is very hard to make your wants known. The Scotch and English always speak of America as the States, and, although in the fre-

I quented parts they meet a great i many Americans, yet they are always interested in seeing us, j and have great ideas of what America is. They think we are a “wild -west show,” and it is difficult to make the peasant believe otherwise, and when we told them that we never saw a real uncivilized Indian, and still possessed our scalps, they behold us with wonder. Of course, all do not look upon us with such crude ideas, yet it is, indeed, surprising to see to what an extent we have found them The “blood and thunder dime novel,” and Buffalo .Bill and his wild west show, when over here, have done much to create this sentiment. But I don’t know 7 that any harm is done for it doubtless keeps many from corning to America. The Scotch and in fact all Europeans have an overweening conception that all Americans are millionaires or little less. I believe our party modified the idea to some extent. These Europeans have a detestable custom of ex pecting a “tip” at every turn. Americans, usually, make fools of themselves and ail those - with wn-um they come in contact from the L »rd down to the peasant by giving gratuities on all occasions. It is a slavish custom and Americans have intensified it very much by their excesses. They go over to Europe estimating everything in American prices and values. No

mistake could be more excusable. The World's Fair and the fact that we had visited it is the occasion of torrents of curious questions. It is a constant source of delight and amusement to watch the expression of wonder when we tell them of the large buildings of Chicago and New York and of the western stories and the magnitude of our country. The farming of Scotland is a system of gardening. The farms do not seem to have much regularity in shape, but are exceedingly well cultivated. The machinery is very crude and much of the work is done by hand. The manner of .stacking the hay was very interesting. You see nothingof the large stack as in America, but long rows of small cono-like shocks, each containing about a quarter of a ton. ' The memories of Scotland will ever be pleasant and agreeable.